Excavator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented June 15,1880.

INVENTOR WITNESSES Z40 ATTORN EY u. PETERS. PNOTO-LITHOGRAPHER,WASHKNGTON. D c,

2 SheetsSheet 2.

L. ADAMS. Excavator.

No. 228,798. Patented June15,l880.

WITNESSES I INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

LUTHER ADAMS, OF MATTOON, ILLINOIS.

EXCAVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,798, dated June 15,1880.

Application filed December 15, 1879.

To all whom "it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUTHER ADAMS, of Mattoon, in the county of (lolesand State of Illinois, have invented a new and valuable Improvement inDitching-Machines and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference beinghad to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings isa representation of a longitudinal verticalsection of this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same,and Fig. 3 is a top view.

This invention consists in the construction and novel arrangement of thedouble-flanged cutting-wheel, the stationary rear scoop-guide fixed tothe frame, the upper front shovel extending between the flanges of thewheel, the inclined aprons arranged laterally and in front of the wheelon the frame, in combination with the adjustable kingbolt and casterstem, whereby the frame is raised and lowered, all as hereinafter shownand described.

- In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the main bar orframe of the machine, slotted at B for the cutting-wheel U, whichconsists of a body portion, a, and two flange-cutters, D, which are oflarger diameter than the body portion, to which they are connected byscrews, bolts, or otherwise. This wheel is journaled in bearings b onthe under side of the longitudinal frame A at about its middle portion,as shown in the drawings. The thickness of the wheel between the outsidefaces of the flanges should be equal to the width of the ditch to beout, and the wheel should have a diameter equal to or greater than twicethe depth of said ditch.

E designates the rear scoop-guide, which is semicircular in form,corresponding to the contour of the rear flanges of the wheel, betweenwhich it is located, being rigidly connected to the frame A by means ofits back flange or fin, c, which is seated in a squared notch, d, inrear of the main-wheel slot, and secured therein by means of pins orbolts 6 passing transversely in the frame through said fin. This guide Eis made strong, and is designed to support at its lower end a steelcutter, g,

of the same width as the guide, said cutter being riveted on its lowerend and located between the margins of the wheel-flanges at their lowerportions. This cutter serves to shear the earth out between the rollingside cutters, whence it is carried up by the semicircular scoop-guide Eand the revolving wheel to the top of the latter, where it is taken outby a horizontal blade, F, which is attached to a seat, h, on the framein front, and extends back between the flanges to the body portion ofthe wheel, as shown in the drawings.

Gr represents the front angular apron, and H the inclined sides ordischarging-wings, which extend downward and outward from the angularridge f in front of the wheel. These inclined wings H also extend alongeach side of the wheel past its middle portion, being secured to raisedsupports on the frame, as indicated at k. A front stop-flange, I, servesto prevent the earth from being thrown in front of the apron into theditch again as it comes from the wheel, so that it falls on the inclinedwings and is discharged on each side clear of the ditch.

J represents a plate, which is fastened to the under side of the frontend of the frame, and extends forward sufficiently to connect with thelower end of a long king-bolt, K, which passes upward through the axleand through the upper end of a strong metallic brace, L, which is alsosecured to the front end of the frame, and extends upward to the upperend of the king-bolt, which should be at least as long as half thediameter of the main or body portion of the cutting-wheel. The front ofthe frame is supported by the wheels M and the axle N, which should be,at the point where the kin g-bolt K passes through it, as thick as theflanges are deep from the body portion of the wheel to theircutting-edges. The length of the kin g-bolt should embrace so manythicknesses of the axle, which,as stated, measures the depth of thecutting-flanges, and pins m, passing through holes a in said kingbolt,serve to flx it on the axle in its position when adjusted, said axle, inmaking the first cut, resting on the plate J at the lower end of theking-bolt, which is lowered step by step in making the succeeding deepercuts. The

axle N should be long enough to allow the wheels M to pass outside ofthe earth discharged from the apron, and the double-tree should also belong enough to allow the horses to walk outside of this loose earth.

P represents a caster-wheel jonrnaled in the jaws 19 of a swivel-stem,S, which passes upward through a seat, 8, in the rear end of the frame,in which said stem has a sliding movement as well as one of rotation. Tothe upper end of the stem is pivoted a lever or handle, B, having a linkor chain connection, 2, with the end of the frame A, as shown, andserving to enable the operator to guidethe rear of the frame and toeffect a cut of less depth than a full cut, the latter being governed bythe adjustments on the king-bolt. As the caster-wheel runs in the ditch,it need not interfere with the depth of the cut of the ditching-wheel,which is designed to effect by its successive actions a cut equal tohalf its diameter. The caster-wheel also serves to raise theditching-wheel clear of the ground in passing from one ditch to another,or in carrying the machine to or from its place of deposit.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. The combination, with the front supporting-axle and its longadjusting kingbolt K, having stops or pins m, of the adjustable frame A,carrying the double-flanged ditching-Wheel G, and its plate-connection Jand brace L,-

substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the ditching mechanism, consisting of the mainslotted frame carrying the double-flanged ditching-wheel 0, its rearscoop-guide, E, clearing-blade F, and discharging-apron G, of the frontsupporting wheels and axle M N, the rear caster-wheel, P, and theadjustable king-bolt K in front and caster-stem S in rear, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony thatI claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of two witnesses.

LUTHER ADAMS. Witnesses:

JOHN MAYER, John O. PARMELEE.

